Lobo

Josh: Much will depend on your mag pouch design. Pouches with snap-flaps allow for some variations in mag size, but also require some fairly close fitting of the snap-flap to the mag bottom plate (they vary as much as the magazines, maybe more so). Open top pouches rely more on close fitting to the magazine for retention. For the best possible fit I would recommend using the actual magazines to be fitted. With a few exceptions, magazine dimensions are remarkably similar. Those exceptions include the Glocks (polymer body magazines with much thicker walls than steel magazines), Colt 1911's (same basic mag dimensions from one caliber to the next, with ribs formed into the mag walls for the smaller calibers such as 9mm and .38 Super). Other than these, single stack steel magazines in the same calibers from different makers will usually be quite close in body dimensions, with different lengths, feed angles, and base plates. Double stack magazines in the same calibers are also very similar in mag body dimensions. So for the STI 2011 (double stack .45ACP) mags I would expect the mag bodies to be pretty similar in dimensions to the XD .45ACP mags, Para Ordinance, and others. The Springfield Armory XD .45 mags are actually very close in body dimensions to the Glock polymer mags in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .357 Sig. The primary differences are overall length, taper to feed lips, angle of feed, and bottom plate dimensions and profiles. Years ago I found that just about every gun shop and pawn shop has a box or drawer full of pistol magazines. Some are a bit damaged, others may be hard to identify. I have picked up dozens for a few dollars each and all have found some use in the leather shop over time. If your customer can't (or won't) send you one of his magazines to use for patterning and forming you might get the dimensions from him, then use those to select another mag that is close enough to form a pouch for it.

Over the years many companies have made products for private labeling by retailers. Abercrombie & Fitch was huge for a century, selling everything under the sun with their trademark on products made by others. Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, Herters, Cabelas, and a dozen others come to mind. If the order volume were sufficient I might consider it. Another possibility might be a mark something like "MADE EXCLUSIVELY FOR ABC STORES, by BadLoveLeather".

Check out albest.com, clip manufacturers in NYC. Pretty broad selection. But you will be dealing with a manufacturer, so don't expect to purchase a clip or two at a time. I think the minimum order is 500 of one item, then they produce and ship within a few weeks.

When engaging in activities that might bring about felony convictions, prison terms, and six-figure fines an abundance of caution seems to be called for. I don't think that I will place all of my reliance on what some BATFE employee tells me (even if in writing), or what my local FFL dealer tells me, or even on some lawyer's opinion of the applicable laws. Whenever a firearm changes hands between two persons across state lines there is a strong possibility that it will be construed as a transfer subject to the Gun Control Act of 1968. For this reason I will not accept delivery of a firearm from outside my state without utilizing the services of a FFL holder to document the transaction, perform the required background check, etc. Likewise, on the return leg of the trip the firearm would go to a FFL holder for transfer back to the owner. Here in Colorado legislation was passed last year requiring background checks for transfers between individuals, the only exceptions being transfers between members of an immediate family (father to son, etc). Now even when a local customer wants me to make a holster for his handgun I have him bring the handgun to my shop for patterning, then bring it again for fitting, and the customer does not leave the premises without taking the handgun with him. There are other issues involved that deserve some thought. Who is responsible for loss or damage in transit? What about loss or damage while the firearm is under your control? Do you carry business insurance (your homeowners policy certainly won't cover business activities), and if so what are the deductible amounts, and who will be responsible for the deductible? What do you have for on-site security (safe, alarm system, etc)? I can envision any number of distasteful scenarios. Someone owning a high-value handgun accidentally damages the piece, then arranges to send it off to a holster maker to have a new holster made, and when getting his gun back screams bloody murder and demands payment for replacement value of his pistol. It might be a custom hand-made one-of-a-kind competition pistol, it might be a valuable antique, it might be a rare collectible piece; whatever it is it might be worth the profits from 50 or 100 holsters. There might be many good reasons to just say "No, thank you".

I have always believed that it is better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

Full time for the past 6-plus years, part-time for 36 years prior. Just me and one assistant who has been with me for 4 years now.

Like many of us I operated in my home for many years. As order volume increased my wife finally put her foot down and I leased a small shop for production. A year later I moved into larger quarters, and that worked out all right for 5 years or so. Last month I acquired a free-standing commercial building and we are now moved in. Main room is 12 X 24 feet with two 8-foot workbenches, two desks, dye station, stitcher, small bench for drill press, some shelves, and a small refrigerator. In the back are two restrooms, furnace & A/C, some shelves for storage, safe, and two tables for laying out work during finishing and shipping. Lots of natural light all day from two 6-foot picture windows oriented southeast and west. Will be adding more shelving and a few other improvements, but for now we are fairly comfortable and back into full production with 40 pieces this week. Best of all is we now have no close neighbors so we can pound away and make all the noise we want to. There is also a tavern right next door with good lunches and ice cold beer.

Having a means for speeding up the drying process can save a lot of time, making the production process more efficient. Here is one way to do this. Kitchen wall cabinet 15"W X 30"H X 12"depth, found in a home supply store as a "demo" model, purchased for $20.00. 2- porcelain lamp fixtures, keyless type. 2- 4X4 electrical boxes. 1- single gang switch box with rheostat (dimmer switch) to control current to lamps 2- 100W incandescent bulbs. 2 feet of Romex wire, #14-2 for connections. 1-pigtail cord to plug into wall outlet (salvaged from old extension cord). Electrical boxes are mounted to cabinet bottom shelf with wood screws. Switch box mounted to outer side of cabinet. 12 holes of 1/8" diameter drilled in cabinet top with pieces of copper household wire dropping down to interior. Dimmer switch controls current to bulbs, allowing control of heat produced. Gaps all around cabinet door allow air flow to interior, while holes in cabinet top allow heated air to escape, resulting in convection flow. With rheostat at highest setting this set-up maintains interior temperature between 104 and 109F. Holsters and accessories are affixed to the wires after forming and boning, and will be sufficiently dry to proceed to finishing processes in about 3 to 5 hours, whereas I used to set everything aside for overnight at least. With a capacity for 12 pieces I can let it run all day in the shop during production cycles, just adding 2 or 3 at a time as they come out of forming & boning, then rotate them out of the cabinet and more can be added. Total cost as shown was about $40.00 with production time of about 2 hours. Can be used on bench top or mounted to wall, anywhere an electrical outlet is handy.

Back in the days when all us cops were carrying revolvers there were some special challenges to deal with for holsters. Revolvers (like my 40-year old 6" Model 19 shown) were frequently equipped with target sights, target hammers, and other protrusions with sharp edges. These could tear the linings out of jackets, and many a punctured arm happened. The holster style shown is generally credited to Hank Sloan. Basically a modification of the classic Tom Threepersons design with a curved and flowing extension to cover the hammer and rear sight, thus overcoming some of those little challenges. This one was treated to full floral carving in the Sheridan style, and my carver went all out with three different floral displays. Lined with soft smooth calfskin to protect the revolver finish. As shown in the photos the Hank Sloan style extension can also be closely formed and add a bit to the holster's retention qualities. Every now and then I just have to take a break from the regular production stuff and do something fun.

Excellent post.

You will not regret that decision. There are only a few machine designs available, and several of the machines offered by various sources are all based on the same machine head (differences in motors, tables or stands, etc). The primary difference, in my opinion, is the level of customer service provided by the company involved, both before and after the sale. Steve at Leather Machine Company has exceeded every expectation. The Cobra Class 4 machine in my shop is now in its 4th year of service, has presented no serious maintenance issues, and shows every indication that it will outlive me. I would not hesitate to purchase another, or any other equipment that Steve might recommend for my needs.

This topic comes up with some regularity on this forum. Obtaining the forming pieces used for patterning and forming holsters can be one of the more frustrating aspects of hoster making. Dummy guns are made by several companies. Generally, dummies will be made only for current production handguns that have achieved a significant market share. Most handgun models are never offered as dummies, and those that are offered will usually become available only after the model has been on the market for some time (frequently a year or more). The alternative to using dummy guns is to use the actual firearm. This allows for two approaches: (1) holster maker purchases the firearm, and (2) customer makes the firearm available to the holster maker for use in patterning and forming the order. For the holster maker to purchase actual firearms requires a significant investment, from several hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars for many pieces. This level of investment requires a substantial and continuing demand for holsters made for the piece to be purchased. For the customer to make a firearm available to the holster maker both parties must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws pertaining to firearms transfers. Transactions within a single state might be simpler than interstate transfers, depending upon state and local laws. Interstate transfers must be made via holders of a valid Federal Firearms License, each transaction must be documented, and background checks completed. The costs involved in shipping, insuring, FFL transfer fees, background check fees, etc, can be substantial (frequently more than the price of a single holster). There are other factors to be considered such as on-site security (safe, alarm systems, etc) and the potential for claims of loss or damage while in transit and while in the holster maker's custody and control. Business insurance anyone? How much is your deductible (more than the value of the handgun to be claimed)? A holster maker may obtain a Federal Firearms License, allowing the receipt and shipment of firearms. Application and license fees are substantial, and the FFL holder becomes subject to random and periodic inspections and audits by BATFE agents. Generally speaking, all firearms on the FFL holder's licensed premises become subject to record keeping and transfer requirements, even if personally owned by the license holder (especially when the licensed premises includes the FFL holder's home). These are not to be taken lightly. In today's climate holding a FFL is like having a big red circle around your name on lists in Washington DC. The hobbyist holster maker is obviously more limited than those engaged in holster making as a business. The small volume maker is more limited than the larger production shop. There will always be customers who want the holster maker to just do this one time, let them ship a handgun direct, allow them to leave a handgun with the maker without documentation or background checks. The dangers should be obvious, and no holster order is worth the risk of several years' incarceration, or huge fines, or the felony conviction that might attach. I use dummies made by Rings, Duncans, ASP, and others, and I still purchase dummies occasionally. I have had a few customers that, upon learning that I did not have an existing dummy and wasn't willing to purchase one for a single order, have purchased the dummies and sent them to me. I have also had firearms manufacturers' executives arrange for dummies to be produced for their new models so that I could use them to make holsters for them. When these things have happened I always make a generous allowance on the holster order. Over the past several years I have leaned more toward purchasing the actual handguns. Much of my production is for vintage handguns, many long out of production, with millions still in the hands of people who wish to use them, but little holster selection available from the big name manufacturers. I have found that I can purchase used handguns at fairly reasonable prices, then use them for holster making again and again for years while they easily retain their value (more frequently appreciating in value as time passes). I also purchase new models when demand warrants, knowing that it might easily be a year or more before dummies might become available, and by having the new handgun in stock I can recover the total cost in profits before the dummies come out. On several occasions I have purchased new handguns, used them for a year or two, then sold them when demand fell off (always for more than I paid for them, so far). I have also purchased new handguns, used them a few times, then watched as they sat in the safe tying up my capital for months on end until I decided to sell them off. As noted by others Ruger, KelTec, and a few others offer dummies for holster makers, but availability always seems to be an issue. There are also a couple of manufacturers that will sell to bona fide holster makers (FEIN, tax license, website, banking references, etc) at wholesale or distributor pricing (actual transfers still require the services of a local FFL dealer, transfer fees, background check, etc), and I know of one manufacturer that will actually loan out pistols to holster makers (FFL transfer, shipping costs, and deposit equal to price required, of course). I will summarize my thoughts on this topic. The cost of obtaining the forming piece (dummy gun or actual firearm) is a tax-deductible business expense; as long as I can show that the piece was obtained and used for completing an order that generated revenue for my business I am allowed to expense the cost (multi-year depreciation schedules usually apply to durable tools and equipment). When such items are subsequently sold the revenue becomes a recapture of the investment and must be declared as income (or recovered depreciation, depending on how the item was expensed). I will either show a net profit, or incur a net loss, on each such investment depending upon how many orders are produced and paid for during my ownership of the piece. There are also provisions for "like-kind exchanges", so I may even find that a piece I no longer want can be traded for another piece that I need, thus establishing a new asset for expensing or depreciating. For these reasons I usually find it best for me to simply acquire the actual firearms needed. Many of us appreciate being able to build a firearms collection while taking a tax deductible business expense, then watching the values grow over the years! Sometimes we must look beyond the apparent obstacles to appreciate the potential opportunies.

One of my regular customers has need of a holster for the Colt Mustang Plus II, which I understand to consist of the Government .380 frame with the Mustang slide group. I do not have a forming piece on hand, so there is a possible order for those of you who can make one. Please send a PM with your contact information (e-mail, etc) and I will forward to the customer.

Many people misunderstand Fiebings Pro Oil Dyes. They are not oil-based. They are formulated to allow blending with some oils for use in specific applications (not particularly suitable for holster making). I use Fiebings black Pro Oil Dye exclusively for doing black. It has been my experience that this dye penetrates more readily and provides more even coverage with less work than the spirit dyes in black. I prefer to apply it while the leather is very lightly dampened with water and warm (at least room temperature, preferably around 100F). This typically provides a satisfactory result with one moderate application. With the standard spirit dyes a good black can take 3 or more applications. Another perspective is in the cost per application. With the Pro Oil Dye, applied as described, I average about 120 pieces (holsters, belts, pouches) per gallon of dye. Using the spirit dyes I averaged about 80 pieces per gallon. While the Pro Oil Dye is a bit more expensive than the spirit dyes it can be more economical to use. I can get more work done with much less time and effort. Probably not a major consideration for the hobbyist or very small producer, Producing about 2,000 pieces per year I find that anything that saves me a minute per piece adds up to 33 hours per year, and that can be a 4-day vacation.

Tawnya: You will very quickly learn that there are as many opinions about what a holster should be as there are people talking about holsters. I am convinced that somewhere there is actually a "Holster Genius School" because just about every week someone will fill my inbox with long tirades and big ideas about the "perfect holster", which he knows all about and just needs to find someone to make it for him. There are two basic approaches to the holster business. One is doing custom work, one-of-a-kind productions specifically to each customer's specifications. The other is operating a production shop, completing orders based upon standardized designs and patterns. Custom work requires a great deal of time for each piece. Several hours might be required for discussions with each customer to establish what is wanted, the time period for completion, and pricing. Then each project will start off with a clean sheet of paper for the design, then a preliminary pattern for a prototype, prototype production and testing, revisions to the pattern and another prototype (sometimes repeated several times), then a finalized pattern leading to actual production. During these processes, and the remaining steps, you may find that what you have created does OR DOES NOT conform with your customer's mental image. Depending upon the complexity of the design and the degree of decorative work to be applied, you might expect to spend from a week to several months on each project, perhaps not all day every day, but certainly several hours each day. It may seem needless to say, but this type of work is in very limited demand simply because not everyone is willing to pay the price for all the hours, materials, and supplies involved. Operating a production shop requires a range of products which might be broad or narrow, very general or highly specialized. At least some thought should be given toward coordinated groups of products (holsters, belts, pouches, accessories) since, at least in my experience, at least 20% or so of holster customers are interested in obtaining matching sets. Once you have defined your product line you can evaluate which firearms you will be accomodating. This might be limited to current production handguns that hold a large market share (the way the major holster manufacturers tend to operate) or specific makes and models, or vintage and classic handguns (which might be best served with vintage and classic designs). At that point you can begin work on your specific designs and creating patterns adapting each design to specific handgun models. This will take up considerable time; it is only very seldom that a pattern works out as intended in the first iteration, and it is not unusual to go through 2 or 3 prototypes before a pattern can be finalized in production form. My shop is a small production shop offering 11 holster designs, with or without 4 common options, in 4 finish colors, left-hand and right-hand, for 142 different handguns. This results in over 60,000 possible variations, essentially allowing each customer to "customize" a standard design to personal needs or preferences. Thousands of patterns are in the files ready for use when an order comes in, and each of those patterns represent several hours of work at some time in the past. Whenever I decide to add another handgun to my offerings I know that it will take 10 to 20 hours to adapt each holster design to that piece and produce the necessary patterns to keep production moving. This approach allows us (myself and one assistant) to complete 35 to 50 orders per week, usually about 2,000 products per year. I spend about 25 to 30 hours per week handling the website, responding to e-mails, managing materials and supplies, and other admin functions, and also about 3 to 6 hours per day in the production shop. My assistant works about 25 hours per week in the shop doing production work. We average one completed product (holsters, belts, pouches, accessories) per 47 minutes of shop production time. I am a Vietnam veteran (US Army Airborne Infantry Pathfinders) and retired cop. Consequently I have a fair base of knowledge about "real world" applications for my products. My law enforcement career included about 12 years of uniformed patrol experience and about 12 years in plainclothes (investigations, supervision, and command), so I have some knowledge about how different holster designs need to function for different applications. Your post indicates that your product knowledge is, at present, fairly basic. I see that you live in Washington State, which has fairly liberal concealed carry laws, so I would suggest that you obtain a concealed carry permit (if you haven't done so already). Then you can build on your knowledge simply by carrying different types of firearms in different carry rigs, wardrobe selections, and activities. This will help you to build more understanding about what works in which situations, and what does not. You can learn to evaluate the potential comfort and concealability of a particular design based upon those experiences. The Internet will provide you with a vast amount of information about specific holster designs, their histories and development, and specifics of construction. You may also find that many gun shops and pawn shops have boxes full of used holsters of all types (some highly collectible) that can be purchased for little or nothing. These can be studies, used, even autopsied to learn more about how they were made and what the thinking of the designers might have been. Then you will have to decide how you will advertise and market your products. Lots of small dealers will be happy to take your products on consignment, but I advise against this because it seldom works out well for anyone involved. A webstore or website might provide you with a means for displaying your products and allow customers to contact you with questions and orders. Some small producers rent space at gun shows to display and sell their products, which might quickly educate you on what people are willing to buy and what they don't want (no matter how good you think it might be). The bottom line is that of the 50 US states all but one or two provide for lawful carrying of defensive sidearms. There are at least 300 million firearms in private hands in the US, including 100-plus million handguns, at least 40 million Americans now hold concealed carry permits, and the majority of US states provide some degree of reciprocity to honor non-residents' permits. The market is huge, far greater than any one producer can service and probably more than a hundred could. More and more women are making the decision to be primarily responsible for their own safety and defense. Millions of women are purchasing firearms, training, and obtaining carry permits. There will be a significant niche market for the foreseeable future in products specifically designed for female use (not all holster designs that work well for men are particularly comfortable or usable for the ladies). My assistant is a young woman, college graduate, NRA-certifed handgun instructor, and regularly performs the required training for concealed carry permits. Many women prefer to deal with other women for their equipment and training needs. I will close with something I have said and written a thousand times, but always find handy to keep in mind: Everything in holster design involves compromises among the 4 basic factors of comfort, accessibility, security, and concealability. Whenever one factor is emphasized there will be compromises in the other factors. There is no "perfect holster" for every user or situation. What works well for one person will not work at all well for another. Best regards.

Colt revolvers are generally linked via several frame sizes, but with different sights, cylinders, hammers, barrel profiles, etc. The Colt Cobra is made on the "D" frame, which was also the basis for the Detective Special Cobra, Police Positive, Bankers Special, Aircrewman, and Diamondback revolvers. The Colt "P" frame is the basis for the Single Action Army, Bisley, and New Frontier models. The Colt "O" frame is the basis for the Official Police, Three Fifty Seven Magnum, original Trooper, and Python. The Colt New Service line (and Model 1917 US Army), New Army, and New Navy double action revolvers were all a bit different. Most of these have been out of production (and hoarded as collectibles) for the past half-century or more, and will seldom be the basis for a holster project. Then there was the Mk III series including the Lawman, Trooper Mk III and others. Finally, there were the big Anaconda revolvers. Pretty rare overall, but they do pop up from time to time. Smith & Wesson has utilized several frame sizes as well. The J-frame is the basis for the Chief Special, Terrier, Centennial, Kit Gun, and Bodyguard line. The K-frame is the basis for the Military & Police revolvers, K-22, K-32, K-38, and Combat Magnum line. Post-1968 brought model number designations such as Model 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, and stainless steel variations using different model designations (64, 65, 66, etc). The L-frame was introduced about 1980, intended primarily as a means for regularly shooting high-pressure cartridges such as .357 Magnum, which had proven to cause excessive wear to the K-frame revolvers in that caliber. Being slightly larger than the K-frame, and slightly smaller than the N-frame. Models 586, 686, 581, 681 and others were made in .357 Magnum, and later came the introduction of 5-shot .44 Special versions. The N-frame evolved from the large Hand Ejector series such as the US Model 1917 revolvers into the .38-44 Outdoorsman, .357 Magnum (original), .44 Magnum, .41 Magnum, etc, with various trade names used. Post-1968 or so model numbers were assigned to each product line (Models 21, 24, 1950, 1955, 27, 28, 29, 58, 57, 29 and corresponding stainless steel versions generally numbered with a "6" prefix, i.e.: 627, 629, etc) and in calibers from .357 through .45. The more recent X-frame is featured on the monstrous .500 Magnums, etc. Ruger entered the double-action revolver market with the Security Six and Service Six models about 1971 or so, and those frame designs have evolved into the current GP-100 line. Ruger later added the SP101, originally in .38 Special and .357 Magnum and later in .32 Magnum and .22 LR versions with either fixed or adjustable sights and several barrel lengths & profiles. Finally, Ruger introduced the LCR (Light Carry Revolver), a very compact DAO revolver offered in .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .22 calibers. Within each of these product lines there have been many variations in calibers, cylinder capacities (fluted and unfluted), sights (fixed & adjustable), barrel profiles (tapered, bull, exposed ejector rod vs. shrouded, standard underlugs vs. full-length underlugs, etc). Dummy guns are available for only a very few of the most common production guns. Over the years I have been able to acquire a handful of dummies. Owning one of everything might be a nice thought, but would require hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment. So for shop use I have a few dummies as well as a safe full of current and vintage revolvers that feature many of the different variations. For some holster projects I find myself using several forming pieces to duplicate different cylinder lengths and contours, barrel profiles, sights, etc. There are still quite a few specimens that I cannot complete a holster for unless the customer can make the actual handgun available for patterning and forming the piece. When a customer inquires about a holster for a particular revolver I frequently find myself doing a Google search to find images of the revolver in question so that I can tell whether or not what I have on hand can be used to put together a holster for it. Holsters for revolvers comprise an excellent niche in the business. As law enforcement agencies have transitioned to semi-autos over the past 30 years or so, and the civilian market has moved in the same direction, most major holster makers now offer very limited selections for revolvers, and even those are frequently "one size fits many" designs that leave many revolver owners with less than ideal equipment. Not a complete history here, but perhaps sufficient to show that it is possible to make holsters for many of these firearms with a selection of dummies and actual revolvers of the same product line. One key to customer satisfaction is to make sure that each customer has a realistic expectation of the results to be achieved with what we have to work with.

Interesting week. Did an Enhanced Avenger Model with mouth reinforcement modified to accept some cobra skin inlay, along with a matching double mag pouch, and lazy-stitch belt to complete the set for an old S&W Model 39-2 (1970's production). Made one of my Offset Belt Clip IWB holsters in horsehide and, once again, found some integral figure to the leather that just leaped out at me as the finishes were applied. Completed a couple of the Classic Tom Threepersons' style holsters with hand-carving based on the original pattern (circa 1920), one for a 6" S&W K-frame and one for a 3.06" Ruger SP101. I always enjoy completing the carved Threepersons' style holsters. Also did a special request for the Hank Sloan style holsters, very popular for double action revolvers back in the 60's and 70's. The Hank Sloan style featured an outer hammer shield to protect the lining of suitcoats and sports coats from the sharp edges of the hammer and rear sight of the revolver. This one is for a retired federal agent wanting to carry his 4" Model 19 in the "old school" style.

Wow! Over two years old and still being read and replied to. Yes, I'm still dealing with these things just about every week.

Well, you asked for feedback so here is my $0.02 worth. Nice execution overall. Edge finishing has been addressed by others, so no need for further comment. Everything in holster design involves compromises among the 4 basic factors of comfort, accessibility, security, and concealability. Whenever one factor is emphasized there will be compromises in the other factors. My feedback addresses the accessibility factor of your design. The pistol rides with its trigger guard completely enclosed (not a bad thing) but the extended portion forming the rear belt attachment point is so close to the grip-frame that it would be impossible to obtain a solid or correct "shooting" grip on the pistol during the draw. The result will be that the user will have to shift the pistol in his hand to get a proper grip prior to being able to use the weapon. You might want to consider a slight increase in ride height and recontouring the "wings" (belt attachment points on the pancake-style holsters) to allow sufficient space for the hand to grip the pistol naturally and correctly during the draw. For what it may be worth.

I've been using the 50/50 paraffin/beeswax for edge finishing for several years with a hard felt polishing wheel applied after the wax is rubbed onto the edges. The felt wheel is turning at about 1700 RPM so there is quite a bit of friction and heat built up. The wax is melted and fused into the leather fibers, and I think it would be pretty difficult to ever remove it without removing the leather itself. Sounds complicated but it really isn't. Each holster or pouch takes just about 2 minutes to burnish, while a belt might take 4 or 5 minutes. With the felt wheel turning at 1700 RPM a 2-minute burnishing is equivalent to about 3400 polishing strokes. Acrylic sealant is applied after burnishing with adhesion at the edges being very good. Then final finishes are applied. I have found with my own gear that the edges are quite durable. On a couple of my belts I have worn for a year or two, resulting in some abrasion on the edges, but a quick application of the wax and a turn on the burnishing wheel makes them look like new.

The N-frame S&W revolvers are a bit of a challenge for those of us who regularly make holsters for these. Over the years S&W has offered the N-frames with no less than 4 different cylinder lengths (not to mention different chamberings, flutings, capacities, etc), fixed sights and adjustable sights, and a dozen or more different barrel profiles (lengths, various underlugs, etc). When you say "6.5 inch N-frame" you could be refering to several different combinations of features. A revolver with the shorter (.45 ACP) cylinder and a 6.5" barrel length will have a different overall length than one with the longer (.44 magnum) cylinder and the same barrel length. Adding in all the different barrel configurations, the variety runs into the dozens of different combinations. The 6.5" Model 1955 Target is significantly different than the 6.5" Model 29, and the 6.5" Model 27 is different than either of those. We don't even have to get into the different hammer profiles, sights, ribs, or ejector rod enclosures to begin to deal with all of the variations that make holster fitting a challenge. I have a couple of "dummies" as well as 4 different N-frame revolvers that I regularly use in the shop, but I can't match every one of the different models offered over the past few decades (and they come out with something new every time I look). Be careful what you ask for because you might get it. Then you might spend a lot of time and effort making a holster that won't fit your customer's revolver.

Over the years I've done a variety of western-style rigs, although it has never developed into a major portion of the business. A few months ago while working on a couple of orders I developed an idea that I thought might be popular with a few folks. Basically, this holster is generally of the single-loop style, and resembles the holster used by John Wayne in many of his later movies. I envisioned a simplified construction method using Chicago screws to secure the holster loop, which really speeds up the overall production process. While working on one the thought occurred to me that interchangable loops could be used, allowing the customer to customize the basic design to personal preference, or to have multiple holster loops on hand to change out as desired. So in addition to the basic single loop I made up a loop reminiscent of the Texas jockstrap style. I may also do up a strap with buckle for another look. Presently I have several of the loops at my carver's shop being embellished with Sheridan-style floral carving. This will permit a very nice custom holster touch without the expense involved in a full coverage carving job. While he's at it I'm having a number of ovals carved in Sheridan floral that can be added to the belt for a matched set. Shown here with a 2nd Generation (1957) Colt Single Action Army, 5.5" nickel finish. I'm having fun with this idea and look forward to getting a number of pieces made up to show on the website. Have a couple of orders so far, one including a buscadero-style cartridge belt.

Horsehide is considerably more dense than cowhide, so direct comparisons of leather "weight" are difficult. Being more dense horsehide provides equal strength with less bulk, and it is also more resistant to moisture (perspiration is always a factor with shoulder holsters and IWB-style holsters). In terms of thickness the horsehide used on these holsters is similar to cowhide of about 5 oz. weight, which performs much like cowhide of around 7 oz. weight. The straps are made of slightly thinner horsehide, providing better flexibility. Strap length adjustment is provided by Chicago screws and multiple holes in the straps. The support pad is made of two layers of horsehide in the general shape of a butterfly to conform to the upper back and base of the neck where it rides, straps are connected using Chicago screws so that each strap is fully articulated and allowed to rotate freely at the connection point as the body moves. Strap connections at the holsters are done on D-rings, which also allows the strap connections to move with the body. The overall objective is to improve comfort in use by preventing chafing or kinking of the straps as the wearer engages in normal activities. An added small benefit of this design is that it permits the use of one harness with any number of holsters and/or pouches. I have had quite a few customers order additional holster & pouch sets, saving the expense of a separate harness for each carry rig. Customers appreciate the modular approach for its economy, while I see it as providing additional profitability down the road.

Recently had a customer request a modification to my horizontal shoulder holster design to include two holsters rather than a holster and double mag pouch. This rig is for two S&W 3913-NL pistols. Done in horsehide, a good choice for shoulder holsters due to its reduced bulk and higher resistance to moisture-related problems than cowhide (shoulder holsters are always subjected to perspiration in use). Personally, I haven't felt the need for two pistols since my days on a narcotics task force, back in the 70's. But the customer is always right, right? Maybe, I guess. Oh well. Kind of fun to have something different to do now and then.

Customer contacted me a couple of months ago, explained that he had a tanned African elephant hide that he would like to have a number of holsters, belts, and pouches made from. I explained the different types of tanning methods, what works for holsters and what doesn't, asked him to send me a small piece of his hide. It was nicely tanned and would have worked very well for garments or upholstery, due to being very soft and flexible, but not suitable "as is" for what the customer wanted. I proposed to use his hide as an overlay on cowhide to produce his order. He liked the idea and sent me a large section of hide with an order for 3 holsters, 3 pouches, and 3 belts. Holster rig #1 is my Enhanced Pancake model with slide shield option, made for the 5" Model 1911 pistol with neutral cant, produced as follows: 1. holster front is of 6/7 veg-tanned cowhide, smooth side in against the handgun, with 4/5 oz. elephant hide laminated to be exposed on the front. 2. holster back is of two layers of 5/6 oz. veg-tanned cowhide laminated flesh-side to flesh-side. 3. matching single pouch is of 5/6 oz. veg-tanned laminated with elephant hide flesh-side to flesh-side. 4. matching belt is 8/9 oz. veg-tanned cowhide laminated to 4/5 oz. elephant on outer side. Holster rig #2 is essentially the same as #1, made for the 4.25" Model 1911 pistol, standard forward cant.. Holster rig #3 is similar in construction, Model 1-D Pancake with Dual Carry Option (strong-side or cross-draw, 3-slot pancake), made for the 2-1/8" J-frame .357 magnum, with 6-round drop pouch. Elephant hide was cemented to the cowhide using Fiebings Tanners Bond cement. Adhesion was excellent and these holsters went through the wet-forming and boning processes with very good results and no delamination at all. The elephant hide has an extreme surface texture. This prevents stitch grooving, but the Cobra Class 4 stitcher set the stitches in so firmly that they are all but invisible in the textured surface. Edge stitching was accomplished using the roller guide. Remainder of assembly stitching was done using a colored pencil line to identify the stitch pattern. The elephant hide as received was a very dark charcoal gray shade. I used Fiebings Black Oil dye on all surfaces to create an even overall appearance. One mistake was made on holster #1. Customer had specified neutral cant, but I made it with standard butt-forward cant. That "mistake" will now be for my assistant's husband (deputy sheriff) Christmas present. Customer also requested that I keep enough of the elephant hide to make a rig for myself, which I will probably get around to one of these days.